Archive for June, 2017

I love the Rachael Ray Show. It’s one of the best daytime lifestyle talk shows on the air. I love that it is positive. I love that I get great tips and solutions for everyday problems. I love that it inspires me. And….did I mention how much I love the easy to make (and delicious) recipes? You see, I’m not just a TV producer but a viewer but I do learn how to be better at what I do by studying one of the best lifestyle talk shows on the air. You should study to it, too, because it could give you a wealth of ideas of how to create story angles and media hooks to get you or your client booked on one of the hottest, most watched, and entertaining lifestyle talk shows hitting broadcast during the day.

And when you succeed at getting yourself, brand, or client booked on the Rachael Ray Show, it’s very shareable on social media so that you can really leverage the TV appearance and exposure. So if you don’t have a direct contact on the show (or a Cision account), just go to their website and submit your idea. If you make it stand it out (and follow the advice I give in my book, The Insider’s Guide to Media Training), then you have a good shot at getting yourself or your client booked on the show. And if you don’t have a P.R. pro representing you, no worries. The form is very user friendly for experts in food, fashion, beauty, DIY, decor, health, fitness, and more.

So if you (or your client) have amazing food skills with tips and tricks that can rival one of Rachel’s chefs or maybe you’re a home decor diva who can design anything on a dime, what’s stopping you? Or if all of your friends call you when they are throwing a party or want to re-decorate or people come to you for weight-loss advice and always need your help with nutrition, what’s stopping you?

Also, when it comes to fashion, do people say you are the most stylish in the room, and want you to share your secrets for how you get everything on sale or you’re a skin care expert with fountain of youth beauty secrets or you are the author of a non-fiction book on your expertise and think you have what it takes to be an expert on the Rachael Ray Show, the producers want to hear from you!

Marianne Schwab is the author of The Insider’s Guide to Media Training and the go-to broadcast media expert to show you how to get booked on TV and ace your on-camera interview. Her producer credits include Live with Regis & Kathie Lee, Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous, Runaway with the Rich & Famous, E! Entertainment Television ON E! Specials, and many more. She has worked in broadcast for over 25 years and is currently the Executive Producer for CMP Media Cafe — a company specializing in broadcast public relations where she provides customized media training services for clients and offers one-on-on Media Coaching (@VIP_MediaCoach) for clients including experts, authors, corporate executives and cl.

There are many reasons why people fail to get booked on top talk shows, lifestyle programs, and news broadcasts. The secrets that I’m about to share with you are the prescription for avoiding that failure. Understanding these three things when pitching media will lift your personal brand from obscurity to success and gain recognition and credibility with the clients and customers you wish to serve.

The Three Biggest Mistakes that Derail Your Media Results.

Let’s start with the problem. The reason you’re not getting that crucial media attention is that, like most people (even the pros who should know better), you’re making not just one, but two or even three big mistakes. And it only takes one to kill your chances of media success:

#1. You Don’t Think Like a Producer. Too many times, you’re looking at your pitch from your perspective, which is “I want a TV interview,” vs. the producer’s perspective, which is “Why would I want to interview you?” The producer is not there to help you achieve your goal, UNLESS you can make it a shared goal. The producer needs a story, and if you pitch one that is newsworthy, you have found that shared goal. When you adopt the producer mindset – when you can offer them something that will meet their own needs – then you will be able to create a pitch with the greatest chance of being broadcast.

#2. You Don’t Have an Angle (or Media Hook) for Your Story. Every story needs an angle or frankly, you don’t have a newsworthy story. You can’t simply pitch the opening of a new business and expect to get coverage just because it’s “new.” There has to be some kind of story angle, some bit of added information to catch the interest or make the opening special (i.e. “Before this veterinary clinic opened, the closest one was 100 miles away, so this is a needed service for the community.”)

#3. Your Story is Too Commercial. If you’re pitching a story that’s all about “you” or all about “your product,” then it’s just not going to fly with a producer. It has to be more universal than just a promotional piece. Even though the goal is to get media exposure for you or your product, unless your product is groundbreaking (like you’ve invented teleportation so you can “Beam me up, Scotty”), then you need to find a way to weave your product, service or brand into the story in a problem/solution story angle formula so that it’s almost incidental. For example, if you’re away from home, but don’t need to answer the door, the Ring Video Doorbell lets you answer the door from anywhere with your smartphone. It’s a great product that solves a problem.

So now that I’ve identified the three biggest mistakes, here are three easy fixes/rules for increasing your results in getting booked on TV:

Think like a producer.

Your story must have an irresistible angle or media hook (and always deliver the story angle you pitch).

Being overly commercial with your pitch will kill the story.

So what constitutes a good story to a producer or reporter? The number one secret to booking a TV interview is simply to pitch them an irresistible story angle. Otherwise, you are just wasting your time (and theirs).

I hope you’ve learned some valuable information from this excerpt from my book, The Insider’s Guide to Media Training, available on Amazon. In the book, I share lots of behind-the-scenes insider secrets on how to get booked on television shows that even P.R. pros don’t know. Also, if you provide media training services to your clients, this is a great guide to tips on how to ace on-camera interviews.

Marianne Schwab is the author of The Insider’s Guide to Media Training and the go-to broadcast media expert to show you how to get booked on TV and ace your on-camera interview. Her producer credits include Live with Regis & Kathie Lee, Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous, Runaway with the Rich & Famous, E! Entertainment Television ON E! Specials, and many more. She has worked in broadcast for over 25 years and is currently the Executive Producer for CMP Media Cafe — a company specializing in broadcast public relations where she provides customized media training services for clients.

TV viewers will size you up quickly and since television is a visual medium, you (or your client) need to make sure you know the basics and the nuances on how to look good on TV — and it’s not just about delivering your message for the media.

In my book, The Insider’s Guide to Media Training, I cover a lot of topics that are all part of the process to polish on-camera interviews. Looking Good on TV – Part One of my book excerpt covered the basics of wardrobe guidelines for men and women. Looking Good on TV – Part Two delved into the details of what colors work best on television and what colors you need to avoid. Now, Looking Good on TV – Part Three is all about patterns and prints that work best and the ones to avoid turning your wardrobe into a fashion disaster on camera along with a few final wardrobe tips that will make all the difference in fine tuning your on-camera appearance.

Prints and Patterns that Work Best On Camera. Without the right wardrobe planning, certain prints and patterns can be very difficult to pull off, for a variety of reasons. So always exercise caution when you think you absolutely have to wear a patterned or print dress, blouse, or slacks.

Tiny print patterns (like flowers) are generally safe and flattering, but large prints can add pounds you don’t have because they create optical illusions. Horizontal patterns are infamous for making a person look wide. Generally, stripes are not a good look on camera and shouldn’t be worn.

Prints and Patterns to Avoid On Camera. Patterns that look great in person don’t always translate well on camera. These patterns include pinstripes, chevron, plaid, fine checks, stripes, herringbone, houndstooth and similar patterns that can cause a moiré effect on camera. Small, repetitive patterns, should be avoided.

The moiré effect is a visual perception that occurs when viewing a set of tiny stripes, dots, or checks that are superimposed on another set of lines or dots, and which seem to actually move back and forth or flicker. It is very distracting and not camera-friendly, so stay away from these patterns.

No Logos or Written Words on Clothing. Wearing a logo implies product or brand endorsement so do not wear any clothing with visible commercial logos, unless it is for your own company.

Accessories and Jewelry. If you know about fashion then you know that accessories and jewelry can really bring your look to life, but less is more when it comes to accessorizing what you wear on camera.

When it comes to jewelry, wearing anything too distracting takes the focus off you and off your message. Avoid wearing shiny jewelry or watches since they can catch the light and cause a glare. Also, women should not wear dangly earrings or more than one ring per hand.

Finally, avoid jingly jewelry (especially bracelets) or accessories since the microphones on set are very sensitive and will appear to magnify that noise, which may make it difficult to understand what you are saying. Remove jewelry that moves, makes noise, or could hit your microphone.

Shoes and Socks. Unless you are certain, never assume that your shoes, socks, or stockings won’t be visible in the shot during your interview. Shoes don’t matter that much when they’re not in the shot, but it’s important to wear ones that are appropriate and which cover your feet. Men should wear over-the-calf socks so that if you cross your legs no skin is visible (as the camera may be capturing you from a low angle).

A good way to ensure that you’re on point regarding your on-camera wardrobe is to study the fashion choices worn by talk show hosts and their guests and then mimic the style that suits you best. Do not go trendy for its own sake, unless the style genuinely flatters you.

You may feel like you really aren’t skilled at fashion styling and if that’s the case you should consider investing in a consultation with an image consultant who specializes in on-camera looks. They can help you put a few winning wardrobe pieces together as your go-to outfits for interviews.

If you follow these guidelines they will not only make you look good (and professional) on television, but your well-planned preparation will contribute to a smooth running production (and earn you positive notice from producers who may one day be interested in re-booking you).

Marianne Schwab is the author of The Insider’s Guide to Media Training and the go-to broadcast media expert to show you how to get booked on TV and ace your on-camera interview. Her producer credits include Live with Regis & Kathie Lee, Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous, Runaway with the Rich & Famous, E! Entertainment Television ON E! Specials, and many more. She has worked in broadcast for over 25 years and is currently the Executive Producer for CMP Media Cafe — a company specializing in broadcast public relations where she provides customized media training services for clients.

Viewers will size you up quickly and since TV is a visual medium, you (or your client) need to make sure to look good on TV — and it’s not just about the message. In my book, The Insider’s Guide to Media Training, I cover a lot of topics that are all part of the process to polish on-camera interviews. Looking Good on TV – Part One of my book excerpt covered the basics of wardrobe guidelines for men and women. Now, Looking Good on TV – Part Two delves into the colors that work best on television and the ones to avoid.

Solid Colors – What Works Best and What to Avoid

Solid colors work best for television, but there are the good, the bad, and the ugly of color choices and that’s why you need to understand some basics about how colors look before the camera, whose lens captures their values and hues very differently than the naked eye does. One advantage to wearing solid colors is that your wardrobe won’t easily become dated since rich, saturated colors never go out of style.

You should choose colors that not only flatter your skin tone and hair color, but also work well on camera. In 1987, color consultant Carole Jackson, wrote Color Me Beautiful, a book that has become the gold standard for determining which colors work best for you. The book is still available through Amazon. When it comes to color, you should also consider the set design of the show you’ll be appearing on since you don’t want to disappear into the background, but nor do you want to stand out from it in a way that is distracting.

Solid Colors that Work Best On Camera

Jewel tones are all the rage right now but make sure you choose a color that looks great on you, not just the hanger. The colors near your face will either drain you of life or highlight your best features, like your eyes, on camera. There’s a palette of colors that look best on each of us and look especially great on video. Go to MediaTrainingGuide.com and download my quick wardrobe tips that show you a palette of colors that the camera loves.

The safest color on TV is blue but there are many shades of blue and if you’re on a blue screen, then you should avoid this color in any shade.

Pastel shirts or muted colors work well on camera, but do require some caution since they may wash out if they are too soft and can appear more white than their actual color. One useful tip is that pastel colors layered with darker solids like suit jackets will not appear washed out. In fact, pastel colored shirts or blouses are preferred over white since there is no extreme contrast between the dark solid, but instead provide a flattering layer.

Pastels and jewel tones look good, but do avoid ‘glowing’ colors (i.e. neon, certain hues of blues, purples, and reds). Other good colors include beige, gray, green, brown and blue.

If you want to add visual interest with color, try layering two jewel tones in the same color family or two colors that complement each other. Another option is to layer a solid on top of a pattern to mute its effect on camera.

Solid Colors to Avoid On Camera

Certain solids should be avoided or worn with caution because they can be a little tricky. These are colors which the camera is particularly prone to capturing in a wonky way, or which create issues with lighting. Four colors to avoid are all white, black, red, and purple.

White: Solid white should be avoided whether it’s a suit, dress, jacket, blouse, shirt or pants. Why? It’s all about lighting. White glows and becomes the most noticeable thing on the TV screen and certain combinations with other solid colors in your attire will create a contrast of light and dark colors (i.e. black and white, dark blue and white, etc.) that make the camera lens go crazy (and the director of photography bonkers). Exceptions do exist and most often involve a chef’s uniform or doctor’s white lab jacket, but this is the general rule. Off white, cream, beige, soft yellow, light blue are colors that can all give a soft, lighter look without blowing out the lighting.

Black: Black isn’t a complete “no-no,” but you need to be careful when you wear it. Be aware that if you’re wearing an outfit that is solid black, that black will suck up all the light, causing your body to become invisible against many studio backdrops. So you certainly want to avoid wearing a black shirt under a black suit jacket, but you can wear a jewel or pastel tone shirt underneath as long as it’s not high contrast. Like whites, exceptions do apply and black can look good on camera, but it usually requires good lighting and makeup to add life back to your complexion. If you want to wear a dark color, navy is a better choice. Dark browns and blues are fine alone or combined with pastel colors or jewel tones. Women can also can accessorize with a colorful scarf to avoid an all black look.

Red, Purple & Orange: Certain shades of bright red can appear glowing orange and bleed on camera, so if you do wear red, make sure you choose a shade that is blue based rather than yellow based. Also, HDTV has largely solved the “purple” problem, but it’s still a tricky color for cameras to capture authentically. You’ll find your purple dress, blouse, or tie will look blue. Darker shades of red, purple, and orange usually work best.

Green: You only need to avoid wearing any shade of green (including some shades of blue) when you are working with a green screen and the control room is keying in the set background.

So that sums up what colors work best and the colors to avoid when it comes to making wardrobe decisions for on-camera interviews, but equally important are fabric patterns.

Our next post? Tune in for Looking Good on TV – Part Three for essential info on prints and patterns that work best on TV and how to avoid on-camera fashion disasters.

Marianne Schwab is the author of The Insider’s Guide to Media Training and the go-to broadcast media expert to show you how to get booked on TV and ace your on-camera interview. Her producer credits include Live with Regis & Kathie Lee, Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous, Runaway with the Rich & Famous, E! Entertainment Television ON E! Specials, and many more. She has worked in broadcast for over 25 years and is currently the Executive Producer for CMP Media Cafe — a company specializing in broadcast public relations where she provides customized media training services for clients.